“I love the duality of the phrase ‘not my type’, in that it’s mainly used to express a romantic disconnection with someone else, but can be used literally and figuratively to describe so much more,” says Ceri Hine, curator of Atom Gallery’s new exhibition, Not My Type.
A signature phrase in the dating scene, Not My Type brings together thirty artists working across printmaking, ceramics, painting and illustration, each exploring the many meanings behind the word ‘type’ - from language and signwriting to identity stereotypes and subcultures. The show also features an exclusive first release of a screenprint from the duo behind acclaimed jewellery label Tatty Devine.
“I’ve always been a bit obsessed with typeface from an early age - spotting a logo or a particular word in an advert and then trying to replicate those few letters into a whole alphabet,” Hine says. “Although I’m not a text-based artist, I’ve always enjoyed adding elements of it to my work, so when I was approached to curate this exhibition, I thought about a few different directions, but was ultimately drawn to the idea of ‘type’.”
For Hine, the title began as a simple play on language. “I love that such a simple phrase can have so many variations depending on your location, preferences, or background; for instance, ‘not my cup of tea’, ‘it doesn’t do me the weight’, or ‘not my meal’ are all essentially the same, but different.”
This same freedom helped shape her approach to selecting the artists for the show - her first ever group exhibition as a curator. “Hopefully the first of many,” she says.
“It was really important to me that there was a diverse group of artists at different stages of their artistic careers. I felt the brief had such vast interpretation possibilities that it would be even more interesting to ask artists that worked in different styles and mediums.”
As anticipated by Hine, artists have taken wildly different approaches to the idea of ‘type’.
Katfink’s giant crocheted syringe, complete with “blood” piercing a wooden panel, offers a whimsical nod to blood types while highlighting the urgent need for donations.
Meanwhile, glass sign artist Magnus and Blue - jovially described by a customer as delivering “a nice fat dollop of profanity” - unapologetically reclaims the word TROLLOP, commenting: “This piece keeps the word, loses the judgement, and sends the moral policing where it belongs.”
Ceal Warnants’ piece draws on her ‘protest series’, leaning into political satire. A fan of wordplay, she said: “Democrazy seemed the right fit given the state of global politics at the moment and the insanity of the things being done in the name of democracy.”
Meanwhile, vintage-inspired artist Kim-A-Tron’s works, The Shag and The Mushroom, tap into “Hair Theory” - the idea of hair as a powerful marker of identity: “A hairstyle can signal who we are, what we’re drawn to, and even the kinds of people we hope to attract; it can help us find our tribe.
"The palette nods to the sun-faded nostalgia of barbershop window posters, with vintage hairstyling guides and wig advertisements used for reference, grouped by type and style.”
For ‘pop-renaissance’ painter Emily Malone, whose work centres around themes of love and erotica, the phrase is read through a romantic lens. “I was thinking about love (or lack thereof) and just how much can be said with a bouquet of flowers; ‘I love you’, ‘I’m sorry’, ‘Congratulations’ or in this case, ‘It’s not me, it’s you’.”
Focusing on ‘nostalgic futurism’, Maxine Gregson’s Bay Breeze Motel balances familiarity and dissonance. “I interpreted the theme by going against ‘type’ and visual expectations. The motel setting suggests something familiar, nostalgic, warm, and inviting, but the setting is slightly at odds with what you’d expect… Ultimately, I wanted to create a piece of escapism and intrigue.”
Jessie Woodward’s original paintings emphasise the power of colour, movement and mark-making. “Not My Type had me thinking about language and rejection - something artists get a lot of and have to get used to!
“While the work might look simple on the surface, it’s built on a deep, visceral connection designed to spark a physical and emotional reaction. My goal is to pull the viewer into a moment of mindful awareness and a truly embodied experience.”
Carrie Reichardt, owner and artist of the Mosaic House in Chiswick, reimagines four vintage Norman Rockwell plates from the Rediscovered Women collection, refiring them with ceramic transfers to play with the notion of womanhood and give a modern twist.
Carrie says: “I was working with the idea of not wanting to be anyone's ‘type’ and re-defining what strong women would look like if they didn't care about what others thought about them. Like a rallying call for women to get in touch with their inner banshee/witch and reject the passive patriarchal roles represented in these original plates.”
Works like Reichardt’s reflect the exhibition’s spirit of empowerment and social consciousness. Not My Type supports Women for Women International, championing women and child survivors of war, and Solace Women’s Aid, London’s largest domestic abuse and sexual violence charity.
Hine comments: “I think it’s incredibly important for galleries today to think about social impact. A lot of art created is based around social impact in some way or another, so galleries encouraging or emphasising this seems natural.
“Unfortunately, society as a whole is repeatedly let down by multiple factors and institutions currently, so if you have an opportunity to counteract this, why wouldn’t you?”
As part of the exhibition, Atom Gallery will also host a special acoustic performance by The Sha Sha Shanimals on Sunday 12 April.
Not My Type
Until 18 April 2026
Atom Gallery
127 Green Lanes
N16 9DA
